Poll: Your "all around" AK hunting rifle-caliber?

[RayfromAK]

As we all know, every one of us has opinions on which rifle caliber is best as an "all around" big game hunting in Alaska, and just about every week somebody asks a question about the best rifle caliber for Alaska big gamehunting. I have created this poll once more, hoping that the web master can make it a "sticky" perhaps two or three months from today. This poll applies only to Alaska hunters. The idea is for newcomers, or just out of State hunters, to become informed by just looking at the poll results. Since these polls allow only for ten questions (10 calibers in this case), I will list the ten I believe are the most popular or common with Alaska hunters. But if I haven't listed but ten calibers, you can post whichever is you favorite all around big game hunting rifle.

[strangerinastrangeland]

.30 caliber.

(Wheres the .243W?)

[Vince]

wow no .270?

[RayfromAK]

By the way, previous polls I have conducted in this and other Alaska forums have pointed to these four as the most common: .338WM, .300WM, .30-06, and .375 H&H. Lets see what happens this time

[RayfromAK]

wow no .270?

Only had room for ten calibers. while the .270 is quite a nice caliber, as a big game hunting rifle it may not be the best in bear country. Now, pared to a .338WM or a .375H&H it's just a wonderful cartridge.

[Ralph]

And the race is on. Go 300WM!

[partisan1911]

I think it would be interesting if you had a pole with: .30, .338 , .375, etc

I don't understand why some people say 30-06 is better than 300 win mag or vice versa. A little velocity or recoil difference? Possibly a little difference of performance on game?

[Rufus]

And where's the .308 Winchester? Oh well another poll it didn't make, But I still use it.

[Milo]

Only had room for ten calibers. while the .270 is quite a nice caliber, as a big game hunting rifle it may not be the best in bear country. Now, pared to a .338WM or a .375H&H it's just a wonderful cartridge.

In that case, I would have made choice 10 "Other". There are a whole lot of others.

[Smitty of the North]

I'm not sayin it's MY Choice, because it ISN'T.

Howsomever, I'd jist about betcha, 300 Magnum is the most popular here in the Greatland.

You'll see.

If I'm wrong, I'll admit it. Beeg Deel.

Smitty of the North

[AKsoldier]

I chose the .300 WM since it's the only one on the list I currently own. I will most likely use my 450 Marlin more for big game than the .300 though. There's another vote for Ralph's favorite though.

[Ralph]

Soldier only my favorite on the list, you forget I'm an O'Conner die hard.

[swapdonkey]

I might as well add my .02. I really like both the 30/06, and the 300wm. My go to rifle is my 280 remington from sheep to moose. I wouldn't use it on the big bears, but I don't hunt them very much anyways. So mine vote has to be for the 280 or even better a 280 AI.

[Amigo Will]

I believe the 30-06 can do it all and probably a better choice than what I have used the last twenty years 45/70.

[Doc]

I voted what I carry each fall....375H&H. However, if I only had to have one rifle it would be the .30-06.

Doc

[Akres]

No vote. Other calibre is favorite.

[Vince]

i was wondering how Common the .35 / 338.06/ .340 and 338 RUM are they seem to be favorites for a few shooting buffs. but really this is a poor collaboration of common hunting calibers..

[Greenbrier]

I agree, OTHER option needs to be on there. Too bad for all the WSM users.

[7wt]

I have hunted for everything except brown/grizzly bear with a 7mm REM MAG. However, after shooting my buddies 300 WSM, I may have to buy a new favorite rifle. The 300 WM is great but IMO the 300 WSM goes beyond the 300 WM in all categories. If I were to hunt with only one gun in AK, I'd choose the 300 WSM. I'm surprised you didn't include it or the 325 WSM in your poll.

[hodgeman]

I shoot a .300WSM and put my vote in the .300WM category.

I think what the pollster (and maybe he can clarify) was attempting to accomplish was validation of a ballistic "concept". ie. a 30 cal 180gr @ 3000fps is certainly the .300 mag whether a WSM, Win Mag, Weatherby or H&H and the results in the field would be indistinguishable from each other.

LIkewise the '06 and the .308- virtually identical under field conditions.

.338 WM, .338RUM and .340Wea are a lot more alike than dissimilar.

I too was a little perplexed that a few of the cartridges listed are pretty uncommon if not rarely encountered, like the .338-06 and .338RUM. Not sure either of those are common enough to see widespread use. I think even occasional users of .270s would outnumber dedicated .338RUM guys at least 1000 to 1.